U.S. patent number 4,043,019 [Application Number 05/666,004] was granted by the patent office on 1977-08-23 for method and arrangement for separating the material forming one part of an article from that forming another part thereof, particularly for use with metal-synthetic resin composites.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Vereinigte Aluminium-Werke Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Helmut Schroder.
United States Patent |
4,043,019 |
Schroder |
August 23, 1977 |
Method and arrangement for separating the material forming one part
of an article from that forming another part thereof, particularly
for use with metal-synthetic resin composites
Abstract
An article is subjected to a treatment which causes one part
thereof to become substantially more brittle than the remainder
thereof. One manner of accomplishing this is to cool the article to
low temperatures. Either during or subsequent to this treatment the
article is subjected to an action which effects separation of the
embrittled part from the remainder of the article. This may be
achieved by impacting the article, by exposing the article to
ultrasonic waves or, in the event that the embrittled part or the
remainder of the article is composed of a ferrous substance, by
exposing the article to a pulsating magnetic field. A preferred
application is to composites consisting of a metal and a synthetic
resin where cooling of the article embrittles the synthetic resin.
One form of an arrangement for carrying out the method includes a
hollow, rotatable cylinder having impacting masses such as steel
balls accommodated therein. Inwardly extending projections provided
inside the cylinder enable articles to be treated to be agitated as
the cylinder rotates. As the cylinder rotates, the embrittled part
of each article is comminuted by the impacting action of the masses
interiorly of the cylinder. The cylinder is provided with
perforations which permit a cooling medium such as liquid air or
liquid nitrogen to be introduced into the interior of the cylinder.
The perforations also permit the particles of the embrittled parts
of the articles to escape and are so dimensioned that the
remainders of the articles, which are unaffected by the impacting
masses, are unable to escape from the interior of the cylinder.
Another form of an arrangement for carrying out the method includes
a pair of rollers arranged to move a band, which may be the article
itself or a conveyor belt, in an endless path. A device for
directing a cooling medium such as liquid air or liquid nitrogen
onto the band is arranged adjacent a location of the path and
downstream of this location there is provided an impacting device
and an abutment member arranged on either side of the path so that
the article may be impacted.
Inventors: |
Schroder; Helmut (Bonn-Bad
Godesberg, DT) |
Assignee: |
Vereinigte Aluminium-Werke
Aktiengesellschaft (DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5893050 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/666,004 |
Filed: |
March 11, 1976 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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506733 |
Sep 17, 1974 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Sep 19, 1973 [DT] |
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2347108 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
29/403.3; 241/23;
29/426.4; 241/65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B02C
19/186 (20130101); B29B 17/02 (20130101); B02C
17/00 (20130101); B29B 2017/0416 (20130101); Y10T
29/49821 (20150115); B29L 2031/707 (20130101); Y02W
30/625 (20150501); B29K 2027/06 (20130101); Y02W
30/62 (20150501); Y10T 29/49755 (20150115); B29K
2705/00 (20130101); B29L 2031/565 (20130101); Y02W
30/622 (20150501); B29K 2705/12 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B02C
17/00 (20060101); B02C 19/18 (20060101); B02C
19/00 (20060101); B29B 17/02 (20060101); B02C
019/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;29/426,427
;241/15,18,23,27,30,65,84.1,170,198R,198A,200,DIG.2,DIG.13,DIG.29,DIG.37
;51/163R,164 ;83/16 ;134/17 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mehr; Milton S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Striker; Michael J.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No.
506,733, filed Sept. 17, 1974, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
1. A method of preparing a metallo-plastic bottle cap for recycling
by separating the plastic component which is confined in the
recessed interior of the metallic cap component, comprising the
steps of confining a plurality of said caps in a perforated drum
having an inner circumferential surface provided with projections,
together with a plurality of impacting members; cooling said caps
so as to cause said plastic component to become substantially more
brittle than said metallic component; and rotating said drum so
that said projections entrain and agitate said caps and said
impacting members to cause the latter to impact said caps and to
thereby break up the brittle plastic components without breaking up
the metallic components, so that the plastic components can fall
out of the recessed interior of said metallic components and be
removed, leaving the metallic components free of the plastic
components and ready to be recycled without contamination by the
plastic components.
2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the cooling and rotating
steps are performed substantially simultaneously.
3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the rotating step is
performed subsequent to the cooling step.
4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said metallic component
comprises aluminum.
5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottle cap is an
aluminum screw cap and said plastic component is a layer of
polyvinylchloride.
6. An arrangement for preparing a metallo-plastic bottle cap for
recycling by separating the metallic cap component from the plastic
lining component which is recessed into the interior thereof,
comprising a perforate drum mounted for rotation about its
longitudinal axis and having an inner circumferential surface
provided with projections; a plurality of impacting members freely
movably accommodated in the interior of said drum; means for
cooling a plurality of bottle caps lodged in said interior so as to
render the plastic components of said caps substantially more
brittle than the metallic components thereof; and means for
rotating said drum so that said projections entrain and agitate
said caps and said impacting members to cause the latter to impact
said caps and to thereby break up the brittle plastic components
without breaking up the metallic components, so that the plastic
components can fall out of the recessed interior of said metallic
components and be removed, leaving the metallic components free of
the plastic components and ready to be recycled without
contamination by the plastic components.
7. An arrangement as defined in claim 6, said plastic components
being pulverized during movement of said drum and escaping through
the perforations of said drum, and a cooling medium being
introduced into said drum through said perforations so as to cool
said bottle caps and embrittle said plastic components thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the treatment of articles so as
to separate the material forming one part thereof from the material
forming another part thereof. Of particular interest to the
invention is the treatment of metal-synthetic resin composites so
as to effect separation of the metal and the synthetic resin.
The problem of separating the metallic and synthetic resin
components of composites made up of these substances is one which
arises frequently. Examples of such composites include screw caps,
which are normally provided with a bonded, relatively inaccessible
interior layer of synthetic resin for sealing purposes,
particularly for applications in carbonated beverage vending
machines. In addition, there are many other metal-synthetic resin
composite systems which are used in various phases of industry. It
is often desired to recover the metallic component of such
composites. Since the synthetic resin layer or coating is mostly,
or at least quite often, composed of polyvinylchloride, it is not
possible, on evironmental grounds, to burn the synthetic resin
layer in order to recover the metal. The reason for this resides in
the fact that combustion of polyvinylchloride releases chlorine
compounds, which are mostly in the form of hydrogen chloride, thus
leading to pollution of the environment.
Consequently, it is desirable to find some other manner of
separating the metallic and synthetic resin components of
composites made of these substances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A general object of the invention is to provide a novel method and
arrangement for separating the material forming one part of an
article from that forming another part of the article.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method and
arrangmenent which enable separation of the material forming one
part of an article from the material forming another part of the
article to be accomplished without pollution of the
environment.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a method and
arrangement which enable separation of the material forming one
part of an article from that forming another part of the article to
be accomplished in a straightforward manner.
A more particular object of the invention is to provide a method
which differs from that outlined above and which enables synthetic
resin-metal composite systems to be treated without polluting the
environment.
These objects, and others which will become apparent as the
description proceeds, are achieved in accordance with the
invention. According to one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a method of separating the material forming one part of an
item from the material forming another part thereof wherein an
article is treated so as to cause a first portion thereof to
undergo a marked embrittlement. The article is also subjected to a
treatment effecting separation of the first portion thereof from a
second portion thereof.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a
method of separating the material forming one part of an item from
the material forming another part thereof wherein an article is
treated so as to cause a first portion thereof to become
substantially more brittle than a second portion thereof. The
article is also subjected to an action effecting separation of the
first and second portions thereof.
The article may be subjected to this action either during the
treating operation or subsequent thereto. The treating operation
may be one where at least the portion of the article which is to
become more brittle is cooled to temperatures below room
temperature and such cooling may, for instance, be accomplished
using a liquefied gas such as liquid nitrogen or liquid air. The
action to which the article is subjected so as to effect separation
of the more brittle and less brittle portions thereof may be a
mechanical action such as an impacting action, an ultrasonic action
in which the article is exposed to ultrasonic waves and, in the
event that the more brittle or less brittle portion of the article
includes a ferrous, i.e., iron-containing substance, a pulsating
magnetic action in which the article is exposed to a pulsating
magnetic field. A pulsating magnetic action is favorably used where
the less brittle portion of the article includes a ferrous
substance. In the event that the article is in the form of a
composite which includes a metal part and a synthetic resin part,
it is advantageous for the portion of the article which is to be
more brittle to be composed of the synthetic resin and for the
portion of the article which is to be less brittle to be composed
of the metal. The more brittle and less brittle portions of the
article may be in the form of overlying layers.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an
arrangement for separating the material forming one part of an item
from the material forming another part thereof, particularly for
use with composites which include a metallic part and a synthetic
resin part, which includes means for treating an article so as to
cause a first portion thereof to become substantially more brittle
than a second portion thereof. The arrangement further includes
means for effecting separation of the first and second portions of
the article.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the separating means
may include a hollow, rotatable member for accommodating and
agitating the article and this member is advantageously of
cylindrical configuration. The rotatable member may be provided
with one or more inwardly extending projections for carrying along
and thereby agitating the article during rotation of the member
and, in order to aid in the separation of the more brittle and less
brittle portions of the article, the separating means may further
comprise one or more freely movable impacting members or masses
accommodated interiorly of the rotatable member for impacting the
article during rotation of the rotatable member. The more brittle
portion of the article may be pulverized during rotation of the
rotatable member and, in order to permit escape of the particles of
the more brittle portion from the rotatable member, the latter may
be provided with perforations. The perforations may serve the
further purpose of permitting a cooling medium, e.g., a suitable
liquefied gas such as liquid nitrogen or liquid air to be
introduced into the rotatable member so that the article may be
cooled and embrittlement of the desired portion may occur. The less
brittle portion of the article may be substantially unaffected by
the impacting action which occurs during rotation of the rotatable
member, that is, the less brittle portion of the article may have a
certain size and may substantially maintain this size during
rotation of the rotatable member. It is advantageous for the
perforations provided in the rotatable member to be of dimensions
smaller than the size of the less brittle portion of the article.
In this manner, escape of the less brittle portion of the article
from the rotatable member may be prevented.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the means
for effecting separation of the more brittle and less brittle
portions of the article may include at least two rotatable members
arranged to effect movement of an endless band in an endless path,
and an impacting member or device arranged adjacent at least one
location of the path. The separating means may further comprise a
conveyor member mounted on the rotatable members for conveying the
article along part of the path and by the impacting member. On the
other hand, if the article itself is of suitable configuration, it
is possible to mount the article on the rotatable members. It is
favorable when an abutment member is arranged opposite the
impacting member, that is, when the path extends between the
impacting member and an abutment member. The means for treating the
article so as to cause a first portion thereof to become more
brittle than a second portion thereof may include means upstream of
the impacting member for cooling at least the portion of the
article which is to be more brittle. Such cooling means may, for
instance, include a device for directing one or more streams of a
cooling medium e.g., a suitable liquefied gas such as liquid
nitrogen or liquid air, onto the article.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the
invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The
invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode
of operation, together with additional features and advantages
thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following
detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference
to the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one form of an arrangement
according to the invention which may be used for carrying out the
method of the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of another form of an
arrangement in accordance with the invention which may be used for
carrying out the method of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As has already been indicated, of particular interest to the
invention is the treatment of composites which include a metallic
component and a synthetic resin component and, hence, the
description which follows will be primarily with reference
thereto.
In accordance with the invention, the metal-synthetic resin
composite may be subjected to a lower temperature at which a
pronounced embrittlement of the synthetic resin occurs. Naturally,
the particular temperature to which the composite need be cooled
will depend upon the specific synthetic resin or resins present in
a given case. In addition to the cooling, the composite may either
simultaneously therewith or subsequent thereto be subjected to a
mechanical action or some other form of action such as, for
example, ultrasonic waves or magnetic pulses in the case of
iron-containing metals. In this manner, it becomes possible to
effect a clean separation of the synthetic resin and the metal. The
metal may thereafter undergo further processing such as melting or
the like whereas the synthetic resin, which again becomes
plastically deformable after reaching room temperature, may
likewise be reused.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the metal-synthetic
resin composite, for instance, a metallic cap screw into the
interior of which there has been injected a synthetic resin, is
subjected to the influence of liquid nitrogen, liquid air or the
like. If the cold components of the composite are simultaneously or
subsequently subjected to a mechanical action such as, for example,
peening, impacting or also shearing or cutting, then the synthetic
resin is fragmented into individual particles. There remains
thereafter the metal as well as the synthetic resin fragments.
Referring now to FIG. 1, this illustrates one form of an
arrangement which is suitable for carrying out the method of the
invention. The arrangement includes a rotatable member 1 which is
here shown as being of cylindrical configuration. The cylinder 1 is
provided with inwardly directed projections 1a. Interiorly of the
cylinder 1 there are accommodated articles 2 to be treated and the
schematically illustrated articles 2 are here assumed to be in the
form of metal-synthetic resin composites such as, for example,
screw caps. The cylinder 1 further accommodates a plurality of
heavy masses or bodies 3 interiorly thereof which may, for
instance, be in the form of steel balls, and the masses 3 serve as
impacting members or instruments. The projections 1a enable the
composites 2 and the masses 3 to be carried along and agitated as
the cylinder 1 rotates and rotation of the cylinder 1 will cause
the composites 2 to be impacted by the masses 3.
The cylinder 1 is perforate, that is, is provided with perforations
in the wall thereof, and may be in the form of a cylindrical wire
basket, for example. The perforations in the cylinder 1 enable a
cooling medium such as liquid nitrogen, liquid air or the like to
be blown or sprayed into the interior of the cylinder 1. In this
manner, the composites 2 may be cooled thereby causing the
synthetic resin component thereof to exhibit a marked brittleness
and to become substantially more brittle than the metallic
component thereof. The cooling medium may be supplied from suitable
sources 4 and conveyed to the cylinder 1 via conduits 4'. Of
course, a single source of cooling medium may be provided instead
of the several sources 4 illustrated and, similarly, it is possible
to use a single nozzle or the like for introducing the cooling
medium into the cylinder 1 rather than admitting the cooling medium
into the latter via the plurality of conduits 4' shown.
By virtue of the cooling effect and the mechanical action obtained
during rotation of the cylinder 1, the synthetic resin and metal
components of the composites 2 are separated from one another. The
embrittled synthetic resin component may be fragmented during the
rotation by the impacting action of the masses 3 whereas the less
brittle metallic component may retain the original size thereof,
that is, may remain whole rather than being fragmented. The widths
of the perforations provided in the cylinder 1 may be so selected
that only the synthetic resin particles or fragments fall out of
the cylinder 1 while the metallic parts of the composites 2 remain
in the latter until it is opened.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates another form of an arrangement
according to the invention. This arrangement may be used with
advantage for the treatment of articles such as synthetic resin
coated sheet-like sections, for example. The arrangement includes a
pair of rotatable members 10, which may be in the form of rolls, as
illustrated, and which are able to convey an endless band along an
endless path. A conveyor member or belt 5 is mounted for rotation
on the rolls 10. An article 6 to be treated is accommodated on the
belt 5 and, in the illustrated embodiment, the article 6 is
conveyed from left to right by the belt 5.
A source 7 of a cooling medium such as, for instance, liquid air,
is arranged above the belt 5 and a plurality of conduits 7' extend
downwardly from the source 7. Thus, as the belt 5 conveys the
article 6, which may, for example, be in the form of a synthetic
resin coated metal plate or a synthetic resin coated coil, beneath
the conduits 7', the article 6 may be subjected to the influence of
the cooling medium. In this manner, the article 6 may be cooled
thereby causing a pronounced embrittlement of the synthetic resin
component thereof and causing the latter to become substantially
more brittle than the metallic component of the article 6. It will
be appreciated that a plurality of sources of cooling medium could
be provided instead of the single source 7 shown and that,
likewise, it is possible to have a single nozzle or the like for
directing the cooling medium onto the article 6 rather than the
plurality of conduits 7' illustrated.
Downstream of the source 7 of cooling medium there is arranged an
impacting member or device 8 which subjects the article 6 to an
impacting or hammering action as the latter is conveyed beneath the
device 8 by the belt 5. An abutment member 9, here shown as being
in the form of a roll, is arranged opposite the device 8. The belt
5 and the article 6 pass between the impacting device 8 and the
abutment member 9 and the latter enables a positive impacting
action to be imparted to the article 6 by the device 8. The
impacting action to which the article 6 is subjected effects a
separation of the more brittle synthetic resin component and
metallic component thereof.
Although the article 6 has been illustrated as being of sheet-like
form, it is also possible to treat other forms of articles such as,
for instance, wires and wire networks, in a similar manner.
Furthermore, if the article to be treated is of suitable
configuration, it is possible to eliminate the belt 5. For example,
if the article to be treated is in the form of a synthetic resin
coated metal band, it is possible to mount the article directly on
the rolls 10 for rotation thereby eliminating the need for the belt
5.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or
two or more together, may also find a useful application in other
types of methods and arrangements differing from the types
described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied
in a method and arrangement for separating the metallic and
synthetic resin components of metal-synthetic resin composites, it
is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various
modifications and structural changes may be made without departing
in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the
gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current
knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without
omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly
constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific
aspects of this invention.
* * * * *